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Nissan Sentra SE-R to debut in L.A.
When you moved past the econo-potato styling of the last generation Sentra and got behind the wheel of the SE-R variant, you'd experience an entertaining FWD ride. Especially when modded out in S- or R-tune, the SE-R Spec V was a capable backroad carver and a suitable daily driver.
As expected, Nissan has announced that their newest hot-rod Sentra is on its way and will make its debut later this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Available in both SE-R and SE-R Spec V trim, the latter getting a high-output version of Nissan's 2.5-liter inline four, with power likely being directed via a six-speed manual gearbox. We'd expect power output of the new vehicle to be somewhere in the 180 to 185 HP range, with torque coming in around 190 ft.-lbs. For those of you disenfranchised by the torque output of similar naturally aspirated offerings (I'm talking to you Civic Si), rest assured that Nissan always brings the twist.
The full press release is available after the jump.
PRESS RELEASE
2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R to Debut at L.A. Auto Show [Nov. 3, 06]
NASHVILLE (Nov. 3. 2006) – Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced that it will introduce two exciting new performance vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show, November 29th, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
All-new for 2007, the Nissan Sentra will once again have SE-R high performance models; both SE-R and SE-R Spec V. As a pioneer model in the field of sport compact cars, the 2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R offers more power, performance and technology to this highly acclaimed model. The SE-R Spec V model will be powered by a specifically designed high-output version of Nissan's 2.5-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine. Additional information on the SE-R with be announced at the LA Auto Show on November 29th.
Nissan will also showcase another uniquely styled, exhilarating performance-oriented vehicle, which marks Nissan's entry into a previously untapped customer segment. Details on the second world debut vehicle are being withheld until Nissan's press conference on November 29 at 10:00AM PST.
In addition, Nissan will participate in the 2006 Hybrids and Green Cars/LA event that takes place during the media days portion of the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, November 29 and Thursday, November 30. This event will allow attendees an opportunity to drive many advanced technology vehicles from various manufacturers.
Nissan will showcase three products at this ride and drive, including the 2007 Altima Hybrid, the X-Trail Fuel Cell Vehicle and the 2007 Armada Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Alex Nunez 4:38PM (11/04/2006)
You know, the second part of the press release is the more interesting part of the story, and I think it may have a whole lot to do with this:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/23/whaaa-nissan-altima-coupe/
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Tony 4:55PM (11/04/2006)
I agree with #1, that whole thing about "another uniquely styled, exhilarating performance-oriented vehicle, which marks Nissan's entry into a previously untapped customer segment" has me intrigued. Could it be the Altima Coupe???? We'll find out... in 25 days.
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Jayson 5:04PM (11/04/2006)
you cannot get 190 torque from 2.5 liter 4 cyl. Its impossible to get that much torque if the hp is 180.
To get 190 torque, you would have to get about 260 hp. This would be a high rev engine and high rpm torque.
another way to get 190 torque if you only have 180 hp is to turbo it. But that is not being mentioned here.
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fordman 5:09PM (11/04/2006)
torque more than hp?
Torque can only be more than hp if the engine is big and very low tech. Like ford 4.6 or 5.4 or other detroit engines.
Also, 190 torque needs about 2.8 liters od displacement. At 2.5 it can make 190 but hp would have to be considerably more.
Or supercharge it.
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ruggels 5:13PM (11/04/2006)
"For those of you disenfranchised by the torque output of similar offerings (I'm talking to you Civic Si), rest assured that Nissan always brings the twist."
Thank GOD! I can think of no auto maker offering a car with a base price close to the Civic SI with 200ft lbs of torque, this is truly a god send from nissan.. and truly a twist to a market which doesn't have a GTI or Jetta 2.0T in it providing more HP and Torque then the SI.. or even a Mazda Speed 3. O_o.
I love you guys at autoblog, I really do, but sometimes these little comments are just odd. Like the orgasm over the blown SKY getting "V8 like" power a day after the 400 HP GTI broke cover and we received no such mention... for whatever reason? It's not like the germans don't have powerful v8s, oft more powerful then the americans per hp/l... just as it's not like this sentra with more torque is going to bring something new and radicle to the SI/GTI/Speed3 arena... especially given the latter two already have significantly greater torque.
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doglet 5:38PM (11/04/2006)
3 and 4, you have absolutly no idea what your talking about. any sized engine can be set up to produce more torque than hp. it has nothing to do with refinement or tech (or lack there of)
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Jason 5:49PM (11/04/2006)
Those torque numbers seem way out of line for a 2.5 engine with no forced induction. I don't think Nissan is going direct injection with this either. Just because a manufacturer boosts HP doesn't mean they'll automatically be able to boost torque significantly without increasing displacement.
For 3 and 4, since your comments were so far off base, torque is a function of displacement, horsepower is a function of RPM.
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Damon Lavrinc 6:01PM (11/04/2006)
Ruggels - It should have been stated in the post that I was referring to a NA engine vs. the ones you've mentioned that are all turbocharged. The post has been changed to reflect that view.
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doglet 6:03PM (11/04/2006)
torque is a function of every component and charastic of an engine. hp is a function of torque and rpm.
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ruggels 6:08PM (11/04/2006)
Thanks Damon, no worries, everyone seems to give you guys a hard time in the comment section, i thought i'd try my hand at it too :).
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Tony 6:08PM (11/04/2006)
JUST FYI -
To all the nay-sayers, the current 2.5 that is being used in the 2007 Altima produces 175hp and 180lb.-ft. torque, so it's not too far off to believe that in the SE-R this engine could produce 185hp and 190lb.-ft. torque. I wouldn't be surprised if they even squeezed 190hp and 200lb.-ft. out of it. Come to think of it, thats as much power as the original 3.0 VQ V-6 in the 95-99 Maxima had.
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fordman 6:30PM (11/04/2006)
You guys are wrong. Currently it makes 175 hp and 180 torque. However, as hp goes up torque goes up by less.
at 200hp, torque would be around 187 maybe.
At 240hp high rev engine, torque would be around 195 maybe and at 5000 rpm or so too.
The only way you can get 190 torque from a 2.5 4 banger is force feeding. not any other way. Yes you can get 190 torque, but you have to make it a screamer with 100hp/liter or more.
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Ryan 7:10PM (11/04/2006)
#5.
"Thank GOD! I can think of no auto maker offering a car with a base price close to the Civic SI with 200ft lbs of torque, this is truly a god send from nissan.."
Base Ford Mustang - 210 hp and 240ft lbs of torque for less than $20k US. But that's mainly because it's a 4.0L V6.
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Turbofrog 7:35PM (11/04/2006)
Wow, I can't believe the blatantly arbitrary perceptions some of you guys have about engine technology. Horsepower is a function of torque, and yes, increasing the rpm you make your torque will mathematically increase your horsepower (hp = torque*rpm/5252), but to say that it's impossible for a 2.5L to make 190 lb-ft without making 200+ hp is completely baseless. Torque is dependent on volumetric and thermal efficiency of the engine. Volumetric efficiency can be improved by forced induction (to over 100%), but it's far from the only way. The valve design, fuel injection and induction system can all improve volumetric efficiency. Thermal efficiency can be improved by, for example, increased compression ratio.
Jayson and fordman, give it up.
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doglet 10:06PM (11/04/2006)
fordman, dont talk about things you dont know shit about. you can optimise an engine for peak torque, flat torque, peak power (torque at high rpm), low end torque, or any combination of the above.
at some point torque will go down to make more power, a rise in hp does not necessarly equate to a rise in torque.
basically, without knowing more about where an engine produces its torque, you cannot say things like
"as hp goes up torque goes up by less.
at 200hp, torque would be around 187 "
and
"At 240hp high rev engine, torque would be around 195 "
for 195 lbft to make 240 hp, you would need at least 6430 rpm. even then you would have to be making 195 lbft @ 6340 rpm for 240 hp. in the real world, engines loose torque as revs climb, its just harder to make torque at high rpm. so for a real world engine to make 240 hp from 195 lbft it would make its peak torque at something like 5500 rpm and peak power at something like 7000.
the 2.0 s2000 made 240 hp at something like 8500 rpm. it needed the revs because it couldnt make that much torque.
there are a lot of people oversimplifying torque and horsepower relationship. which is kinda silly because it is actually really simple. you just need to know rpm to be able to say anything about either.
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CrunchyCookie 7:43PM (11/04/2006)
What a sorry successor to the original. Timeline recap!
1991: Sentra SE-R debuts to become the best sport compact in the history of mankind (hyperbole? what's that?) with a sweet engine, good speed (7.3 sec), nice torque, perfect steering, great handling, 2,500 pounds, and low price
1995: blobby-looking 200SX SE-R shaves the redline, slugs down the steering, installs embarrassing clunky beam axle suspension
2000: new Sentra, repeat of last Sentra except size and weight go up, build quality goes down; 2002 mid-life update gives us a new lame 6,000 RPM engine
2007: freakin electric steering murders whatever road feel remained, chassis fattened all the way to MID-SIZE, weight goes up again to about 3,100 pounds (same as a 95 Maxima) to make it even slower than the original
Remember kids: fear not death, but the disgraced life.
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fordman 8:02PM (11/04/2006)
#16 you are very correct. I agree completely.
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epp_b 9:35PM (11/04/2006)
Nissan's SE-R engines are absolutely stunning. I drove a 2002 Sentra SE-R and the amount of torque it's able to deliver at such low revs is quite an achievement for a four-cylinder engine. Despite the seemingly and comparatively low horsepower ratings, don't underestimate this car.
So what if it doesn't rev that high? If you want revs, buy a Honda...and don't be surprised when your Civic Type-R gets its doors blown off from an SE-R spec Nissan.
It's not just about outright power ratings, it's about *where* the power accessible in the rev range and for how long.
This new engine, I'm sure, will be just as much a masterpiece. Too bad the car's new design won't be :(
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Jason 12:06AM (11/05/2006)
#16 is totally correct. Nissan lost it after the '91 model. I was in high school back then and it was the hot little car to have. The current car looks too much like a geomechanical Saturn ION. The blocked rear window ruins it all.
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ruggels 9:20PM (11/04/2006)
#13 that was sarcasm, i've got a 2.0T in a few of my cars so i'm well aware there are engines putting out over 200hp/tq at, say, 1/2 the displacement of the 4l u mentioned.
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